Just nine days after their NHL season ended in our Nation’s Capital, Washington Capitals stars Alex Ovechkin, Dmitry Orlov and Evgeny Kuznetsov stepped back on the ice. This time it was for Team Russia.
Washington Capitals left winger Alex Ovechkin, center Evgeny Kuznetsov, and defenseman Dmitry Orlov joined Team Russia on Saturday in the second of their three pre-tournament games before the IIHF World Championship.
Saturday’s contest pitted Russia against Finland which resulted in a 3-1 loss. Ovechkin, picking up where he left off from the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and another great season in D.C., scored the lone goal for Russia.
Capitals fans will easily recognize this goal which came off a pass from Kuznetsov. Kuznetsov waited patiently before firing a cross-ice pass to Ovechkin, who finished it from the office.
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Ovechkin’s goal came late in the third period with 51 seconds left in the game on the power play already trailing 3-0 to Finland. Naturally there were no celebrations from Ovechkin since the game was pretty much lost.
Team Russia got a better outcome on Sunday, earning a 4-1 win over the Czech Republic. A Washington Capitals player was involved with either a goal or an assist in each of those four Russia tallies.
Alex Ovechkin dished out three assists, Evgeny Kuznetsov scored twice and Dmitry Orlov added a goal of his own.
The win also gave Team Russia the victory in the Euro Hockey Tour “which is contested by the continent’s leading ice hockey nations.”
Capitals left winger Jakub Vrana, who will be representing the Czech Republic in the upcoming IIHF Worlds, did not play in Sunday’s game.
Russia took a 1-0 lead with Ovechkin going past former Capital Jakub Jerabek on an attempted check by the latter. Ovechkin then passed it to the middle to Kirill Kaprizov for the finish.
In the second period, Russia responded after Czech tied it thanks to a breakaway goal from Evgeny Kuznetsov. A few minutes later, Orlov got in on the fun charging toward the net and finishing off a quick backdoor pass from Kuznetsov.
Kuznetsov’s second goal of the game came on an empty netter to seal the 4-1 win. The IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships will begin on May 10 in Slovakia.
Be sure to check out Capitals players Ovechkin, Kuznetsov and Orlov for Team Russia, Vrana with the Czech Republic and Lars Eller with Denmark compete for the gold.